President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he plans to bolster National Guard forces and take control of the metropolitan police station in Washington, D.C., in an effort to combat crime. This follows a ramp-up of federal law enforcement presence in the capital over the weekend.
“We are deploying the National Guard to help restore law, order, and public safety in Washington, D.C.,” Trump told reporters during a press conference. “They will be able to do their job effectively.”
Additionally, Trump stated he would federalize the city’s metropolitan police department and place it under the guidance of Attorney General Pam Bondy.
National Guard units, which are typically mobilized for state and federal responses to emergencies—including natural disasters—are usually overseen by state governments. However, amid immigration riots in June, Trump deployed troops from California directly, circumventing Governor Gavin Newsom.
The District of Columbia National Guard is managed by the federal government.
Trump remarked, “It’s becoming completely lawless here, and we’re also addressing the slums. We have slums in this city, and we’ll remove them.”
The comments followed a post on Truth Social where Trump promised to rid Washington of crime and violence. “The innocent people are done with the rampant murder and suffering!” he asserted.
This decision comes after an incident involving former government staff on August 3 in Logan Circle, which influenced Trump to consider National Guard involvement for crime management in the area.
“What a shameful situation—the crime rates, robbery, murder… we’re not going to tolerate this,” Trump added to reporters on Wednesday, hinting at a rapid National Guard deployment.
He expressed a willingness to take charge of the police department, though legal challenges may arise regarding the justification for a federal takeover in cases of emergency.
Interestingly, data shows that crime in Washington is actually on the decline; violent crime rates have dropped by 26% compared to last year, while attacks involving dangerous weapons fell by 20%, and murders decreased by 12%.
Meanwhile, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser contested Trump’s characterization of the city in an interview, expressing her concerns about using the National Guard to address crime. “Comparing us to war-torn countries is an exaggeration and inaccurate,” Bowser said, questioning the efficiency of such a move.
“I’m worried that they aren’t being utilized properly. I don’t think that’s the best way to use our security resources,” she added.
